Condemned
by TurtleFriedRice
Summary: Occasionally fame comes with a price and self righteousness isn't enough. Zoro was no exception. Happy Halloween! A fic for the OP Halloween fanfic project!


**Happy Halloween Everyone! This is my Halloween fanfic for this year's tumblr 'One Piece Halloween Fanfiction Event' hosted by Stirlingphoenix! The challenge was to have something supernatural in the story and then another optional challenge of writing about the darker aspects to a character's personality/traits. Hopefully I pulled it off XD guess you will just have to see. Beware for weird.**

ATTENTION~ TRIGGER WARNINGS: Gore, Graphic imagery, Grave desecration, Mild sort of cannabalism? Blood. 

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><p>Zoro instinctively wiped at his brow with the back of his hand, not the least bit surprised to find no sweat there, despite the hard work he'd put into digging. It was childish and over all foreign to think it was small bodily functioning details like these that he'd actually come to miss as the days passed by. How long had he been doing this already? Surely, it wasn't so long he'd lost count?<p>

Not that something like counting days mattered anymore. He couldn't age any further even if he wanted to, and no matter the height of a large number, it wouldn't free him from such a degrading and hellish sentence. It wasn't set in stone, but he had a somewhat sickening feeling somewhere inside that this would drag on for as long as maybe eternity, at the least. He still couldn't wrap his mind around it, this curse. Was it designed to give some sort of lesson or second chance? Hardly, since he saw no end to it and there was no escaping it. Or, quite literally, had he become a bottom feeder for good, no matter the crime, for an existence sentence.

Regardless what it may be and how long he pondered over it - hell there would be days, years, millennium to do so - the sun had still risen that day and was setting off behind him somewhere, bringing him moments closer to the part of his being he absolutely hated and dreaded. There was nothing more difficult for this world's greatest swordsman to chew, figuratively, than the lack of power over himself and free will against something so...disturbing.

Zoro tossed the shovel behind him, near his sheathed swords and bag, before looking over and taking in the sight of what he'd completed so far this evening. Just hours before this, on this very plot, a small burial had taken place and the dirt was still soft and easy. The swordsman, with his unusual particular tastes, had taken advantage of that to expose the hidden casket and the earth above and around it. A clean entry way for himself to take a peek.

Before all of this had happened to him, before he had died and been reborn so crudely in such a disgusting way, desecrating and robbing a grave would have never crossed his mind - it would have been unthinkable. Now it was all he could and was forced to do. A true bottom feeder, even on a supernatural rank. It didn't suit him at all, but since when did curses ever do something suitable for their victims? Able to still resist it for a while, because the slow retreating sun was still in the sky, the dirtied famous swordsman slid down into the grave, his heel dragging crushing dirt in as he did, and opened the casket just to see who would unknowingly be his victim this time. At least he truly hoped silently in a part inside him that that be the case. He struggled enough with the guilt and shame and overall embarrassment of what he was, what he did, and what he now does - he wasn't sure he could still remain even somewhat strong against it if there was even a remote possibility the souls of the deceased he ate still lingered and witnessed his punishment firsthand. At that, Zoro would probably want to die at least a hundred more times over again.

And even after a short while, although it didn't seem like it, Zoro's mentality was still human. He fit the criteria of a monster, he was cursed to do that which monsters could easily do, but he didn't drop his humanity. So it was never anything new once the coffin was open and he had to pause, forcing his body that needn't breath to take a deep breath by reflex and take in the sight of the person whose rest he was disturbing. Sure, to his instincts that had changed from 'people' to 'food', but that didn't mean they never lived, never had lives and dreams of their own, families and friends.

Tonight, his deceased victim was male. His hair was short and brown. His skin was fair and, like most recent bodies that were snacked by Zoro, they really appeared as if they were only sleeping. And the swordsman felt nothing but wicked and wrong for intruding. This guy couldn't have been older than twenty, far too young to deserve death and then treatment like this. But it didn't matter how Zoro felt about it or if it was an injustice; it didn't change the fact what would happen. He'd already undressed him in perpetration.

Since the sun was still setting and night hadn't officially come just yet, the swordsman pulled himself out of the grave to sit lazily at the side of it. Only then did he allow himself to glance around and wonder where his other most recent annoyance had run off to.

His life might have gone to shit now and become more torturous and demeaning each night that passed, but there was actually one thing that seemed to make this fate a little easier to bear. If Zoro had never died, they definitely wouldn't have met and there were some odd mixed feelings about that, but he would lie to say the small companionship didn't ease his burden even a smudge.

The kitsune was a pain in his ass, had a quick wit about him and probably caught some sick thrill from putting salt in Zoro's wound, but it was his honesty and lack of interest in most of the situation - especially the fact Zoro was a cursed soul forced to eat corpses - that the swordsman appreciated most. His habit of reminding him he was once on top of the world, but now on the bottom, however, he could do without.

It was most likely foolish to think a full blood creature - or rather a badly bred one, as it mostly blamed its disabilities on - found the same sort of comfort in whatever it was they had. For the kitsune, it was more entertainment, as it had been the very first night he found Zoro and made light of his situation. Still, he stayed around - somewhat persistent at first, then under the guise that there were debts to be repaid.

Either way, the swordsman wasn't sure yet again, hell what was there to be sure of these days, but it was evident the fox creature, unable to stay in his male human form too long without exhausting itself out, was no where to be seen. What a shame too, as his favorite part seemed to be picking fun at Zoro's true appearance that came at night and was more grotesque than the one he was able to wear throughout the day, which made him appear completely mortal and blend in. At least as much as he could while his reigning title and face were still known.

Zoro forced himself to take another deep breath, relaxing as the slight transformation took over and the sun was completely absent from the sky, save for different shades of pink and purples in its wake. He already knew what was happening to his body without trying to imagine, many nights of the same phenomenon taking away his curiosity.

The color in his skin faded quickly, darkening and graying it out as if he himself were a corpse. The shadows on the contours of his face grew darker and his expression hollow. The scars along his body from a lifetime of fighting his way to the top looked ready to reopen and seep, a particularly painful one appearing at the nape of his neck and shoulder. Then, in fashion with what he was, a few adaptations appeared to his dead appearance. He couldn't feel them, but his incisors grew, quite ready for a bone picking meal and his eyes were no longer warm but empty and soulless, a set of powerful claws appearing on his fingers, perfect for cracking hard bone.

The illusion of how he once was and ability to effortlessly appear alive wasn't the only thing to leave him, however. During the day, it wasn't as suffocating and he felt enough willpower to push it aside, but at night, his will escaped him and he was pounded by a guilt that surpassed any recorded weight. He could hardly think straight it was so intense, the self-loathing and hate that consumed him.

Because this was his fault. He decided to live the way he did, to be self centered towards being the very best. It was he who constantly mocked at the idea of a god and what powers he may or may not have possessed, and felt encouraged to take down the rare and abnormal, causing this to be anything but ironic. He deserved this, deserved to be referred to as some sort of beast - where ambition once took hold, now was only the desire to feed. And not even on the sweet elixir of life, blood, but the remains, bits and pieces of people that once were; like nothing more than a maggot. It was painful in more ways than one, especially since he would be conscious now for each bite, scrape, break, taste and swallow that would come with this, all while remembering, like he had moments before, that this once was a person who probably wanted the most out of life like he had. Someone that had been loved.

It wasn't like he could just resist this, either. Zoro wasn't stupid, he hadn't gotten where he was without some amount of intelligence. He tried resisting this fate wight away, with every bit of control he had, but it was no use. This new form could not be starved - it would only change and thrive on a sort of autopilot. No body to consume tonight? Then it'd make one. And Zoro certainly didn't need that on his shoulders again. He learned his lesson. Before hurting another living soul because of the way he'd chosen his time on earth, he would take this punishment. He wasn't a coward to run away from it either, even if he technically never could.

So when the guilt consumed him this night, along with the intense need to devour, he let his body urge him forward and above the open casket of his next meal.

Zoro halted, though, when this one did something extraordinary the others never had, and in the tiny bit of actual consciousness that the swordsman had for anything but self loathing, he cursed for not having noticed the way a grin set on the deceased man's face. Honestly, he should've expected something like this to happen, after all, his companion the kitsune, Sanji, may not have been able to wear his own human form for too long but he was well skilled at possessing others - a skill he used most commonly to interact with Zoro in populated areas. So why on earth would that be restricted to living bodies?

It was surprising how it actually made Zoro, in this self destructive, feverishly hungry zone, hesitate and watch Sanji shift in the casket so that dead eyes were watching him knowingly as he was sitting up.

It confused the primal part of his brain craving corpses that Zoro got reprogrammed with. Of course he didn't want some spirit fox along inside his meal, only the really dead bodies caught his fancy nowadays. Either way, the deceased would still be eaten. What on earth was this kitsune trying to accomplish?

The curious surprises only continued when, before Zoro could snarl or growl out a single thing - though his body was already crouching in low and close, getting impatient but being held back for now - Sanji only moved the arms out to Zoro, as if inviting him in.

"Why?" Zoro's throat burned like he'd guzzled acid, the need for substance so grand. But he had to know, it was the most perplexing thing yet that Sanji had done and if he could feel like he could in a living body, he would try and refuse all he could not to eat him alive. Then again, this added quite nicely to his punishment, didn't it, from the standpoint of whoever held a grudge to cause this.

Sanji put his arms around Zoro's body and pulled him closer, filling the gap. Chest against chest, not that it mattered.

"Idiot, stop torturing yourself more than necessary. You never chose this."

The words were slightly endearing, and from Sanji's real voice no less, but condescending to what Zoro thought he knew. After all, wasn't this the fox that thrived on rubbing Zoro's nose in what he had become? So what was he trying to get across by saying something like this, showing that he believed Zoro to be different than the thing he was cursed into and hadn't purposely sought out a life to deserve this.

Zoro leaned into the corpse, focusing hard to resist ripping into it already. His lips were dying to peel back and his teeth were lingering right above the flesh of the other's neck. It didn't help that Sanji seemed to be teasing him on top of all this, the hand turned and fiddled with the hair on the back of Zoro's neck.

"These remnants. There's no one in here but me, you won't hurt anyone." He was acknowledging the fears and extra guilt Zoro packed on from his humanity, allowing himself to picture the lives these corpses he devoured must've once lived. "Don't suffer, survive. Feed." A foreign affection took over the fox as he nuzzled the victims face into Zoro's body lightly, still holding him there. "This way, we both get what we want."

What Sanji wanted was this? To be close to him, even though his ability to feel with the nerves of a corpse was probably little to nothing? Or was it his want for Zoro not to suffer any more than either of them could do anything about or to have him survive and stay here? Damn, how was the swordsman even supposed to respond to that? To feel?

The fox's words definitely made an impact and Zoro shut his eyes forcibly tight, unable to help the mix of a slight animalistic wail and growl as he in return wrapped his arms around Sanji's current body, his hands traveling up it's back for a secure hold. He felt guilty, of course, but also relieved amongst many other mixed emotions gathering inside him.

Sanji, to willingly do this for him, to try and help him even when he knew well enough how stubborn he was about this whole ordeal by now. Sanji, who had spent practically every night since Zoro's rebirth next to him, prying information from him and watching with curious judging eyes, regardless if the swordsman was some bottom feeder or not, who was able to still find companionship in him and want him to continue living, even like this.

He managed to curse the damn fox, grumbling it out in his ear before his jaw instinctively couldn't stand the wait any longer and his teeth sunk into the flesh and muscle of the cadaver. Somehow, though the swordsman did not like to focus on it, the taste seemed slightly less bitter, less like regret than the ones before. And if there were still traces of it, he forced his mind to think past them, the fox's words still in his ears. It didn't help that the bastard insisted on hovering a hand and trailing it down Zoro's back soothingly, almost encouragingly before letting out a low chuckle.

"See, that wasn't too bad, marimo." Sanji puppeteered the body he possessed to kiss at the swordsman's shirt collar. "Now what do we say. Ita~daki~masu."

Zoro scoffed, but didn't make any attempt to form a response, he was too far gone in his animalistic hunger. He'd scraped his first mouthful, blood oozing from his mouth and staining his chin and their bodies, his morbid taste buds practically singing and sending his troubling thoughts some relief. It disgusted his humanity, and eternally would, how much he liked it, how much his rewired body thrived off it, but it felt like slowly dwindling a pressure that could kill him. His body was constantly in a fight or flight mode and he wanted to survive. Sanji wanted him to survive.

His claws curled into the corpse's back the more he wanted to pull Sanji closer, his nails ripping their way across it and scraping the body's flesh. Even with his focus on the spot he was currently inhaling, his bites lowering down this body's frame toward it's chest, his nerves seemed to enjoy the thick liquid that stained his skin.

Next to him, the kitsune began to purr distinctively, despite not being in his real form. It was enough to make Zoro's piercing creature like eyes to snake over at his expression, but not for too long. The bit of conscious mind he had was no expert for the sound, so if it was in discomfort or pleasure, he didn't know, but the sound startled him enough to pull away from his hunger for a moment and feel the sting to his humanity. What was he doing? Zoro didn't want this, he shouldn't want this. He was disgusting.

Fighting this subconscious for some self control, the swordsman moved his bloodied hands and pulled himself away from the kitsune, his eyes scanning at his face. There was another sting to his pride from the corpse's blank stare and he dropped his face, shamefully. Even if Sanji was telling him to dine and that it would be alright he couldn't help it, it was still wrong. He didn't want to give into these urges or to risk losing what made him sane and human.

Zoro could feel and sense the way Sanji stared at him for a moment, studying him no doubt like he always had, before moving one of the cadaver's hands and lifting it up to cuff Zoro's face to have him look back up at him. It was frustrating, but it took a lot out of the former world's greatest not to snatch the arm right away and go back to his activity.

But he waited and Sanji shifted one of his fingers to wipe away at something that wasn't blood from Zoro's eyes. A representation of the war brewing inside of him seeping out, no doubt.

"Already full?" Sanji speculated and furrowed the brows on the corpse.

It was so odd to talk to his meal, but anyone knew it wasn't the weirdest thing happening that evening. Zoro's hands were slightly shaking, itching for more and of course his insides were not the least bit satisfied. But this swordsman was stubborn as all get out, if he could survive on the bare minimum without going crazy, he would. He'd rather something like that then to give into it. Each swallow was another jab in his mentality, a reason to hate himself more. He forced himself to sternly nod, hoping the fox would flee off.

He hated to lie to Sanji, especially remembering the words he'd just said before about them both getting something they wanted, and the way he'd been able to achieve some kind of sick twisted closeness with him, but surely there was another way for that.

Sanji lowered his gaze and his hands, instead moving them to find Zoro's. The swordsman, still quiet, nearly growled at the position he settled them in. Using the corpse's hands, the kitsune pressed down on Zoro's chest. Practically, he was inviting him to crack open the rib cage and go to town, a cruel thing to do to the man struggling to hold back his hunger. It fit the fox's irritable ability to know when to test properly if Zoro was lying. He was pressing down so hard he was breaking the skin with Zoro's claws on his own.

"You're sure about that?"

Zoro grinded his teeth. No, he wasn't sure. He was going to rip this body to pieces and indulge for several lifetimes, thats what he was sure about. And that Sanji was getting more annoyed by his face, in usual fashion, by the second for catching his lie.

The kitsune smacked a hand over the gap that was left of a shoulder and let blood seep and cover it before backhanding the swordsman clear across the face in it.

"Don't lie to me," he hissed, getting up and close in the swordsman's face. "Stop acting like it's punishment, its only if you let it be. Everyone has something that they crave, it's called surviving." Apparently, his intimate moment was ruined thus his patience with bullshit was obsolete. It wasn't too obvious on a stranger's face, but he was disappointed. Zoro had become a master at being able to track when he messed up these days, after all.

Sanji was probably deciding whether or not to flee from the corpse or not. And even if that's what Zoro was hoping for, he hated he'd be the one to drive him away. He was engulfed in the hunger and angst, sure, but it's not like there wasn't a part of him that liked the idea of closeness as well.

The kitsune sighed, glowering down at the blood covering the body he inhabited. "Since when is _Roronoa Zoro_ -" purposely, he used an agitated inflection on the name,"-life's bitch? It's the one that made the mistake of reviving your ass."

It was amazing what communicating with small words from the fox could apparently unlock. Still, trying to focus on their discussion, something inside Zoro's mind seemed to become clear. Sanji had a point, which he hated, but in a way it could really be advice to help him. He was out of his normal playing field and he was in a familiar body, but even with new needs he didn't quite understand or approve of, he was still the same world's greatest swordsman.

He wasn't going to run off and claim to still be that, of course, it was better he still remained dead without some secret of this getting out, but he had defied all odds before and accomplished whatever goals he wanted. It was foolish to think that just because he had to do something every night from now on to survive and keep innocent people safe, that his life had to revolve around it. That he had to obsess about it more than it deserved or than he had to, that he had to blame himself when it was indeed some higher power that had decided to throw this at him. Did fate even know who they were dealing with? Zoro had adjusted and found countless ways to do whatever the hell he wanted before, or handle unavoidable problems, this could take more time, but wouldn't be too different.

Why was it that it took a bad bred kitsune with some weird fixation on making sure he was properly fed, despite his food source, to make him realize that?

Either way, there wasn't time to just pause around and think anymore. He leaned forward rather abruptly, dirty lips meeting Sanji's. It was a spontaneous thing and came off just as hungry as Zoro's growing appetite. Since Zoro could hardly recall enough words at the moment to give any real response, it would have to do. It caught the kitsune off guard enough that he'd fallen back down inside the cadaver's casket.

Zoro wasn't sure if that was what the fox had in mind when he desired to feel closer to him or for them both to get what they wanted. And he knew, in the small part of his consciousness he wanted to apologize and thank the kitsune for this and all the things he'd said. He needed the sense knocked into him more than he realized, and if this was any indication and the fox was still willing, it felt like a plausible future.

Still, as he pulled away, Zoro's expression was pained. Even if that was something the future could hold for him, he was still stuck in this time, consumed by his own humility and hunger. Every night seemed longer than the next and would continue to, he just couldn't let it break him and do any more damage than it probably already had. He was just lucky having fed his curse a teasing little morsel so far he was able to be clear in his action of thanks and affection - pending if the wordless action's meaning got across or not to the other side.

But now, unfortunately, he knew he couldn't keep putting it off anymore, even to just mingle with Sanji or listen to him speak and attempt to give whatever kind of humanly response he could manage. He pulled back from the kiss and, with very quick moments, he aimed slightly lower, sinking his teeth in the inactive jugular of the corpse.

It had to have surprised Sanji, given the way his eyes had widened and there were sickening gurgles, but Zoro had already been lost, continuing on his mission to rip the cadaver's throat out and gorge every last bite selfishly, sans bone. It wasn't long until what little motion the kitsune could manage in a deceased body became slim to none and his spirit fled out, leaving the swordsman to finish alone.

A while later, when the moon was still up, but considerably closer to the other side of the sky, Sanji had returned back into the usual fox form he felt not only the most comfortable in, but could not fully escape. He trotted curiously over to the dug up grave, ignoring Zoro laying nearby on the grass.

Zoro had been resting his eyes, letting his mind try and untangle the amount of thoughts corrupting his mind, but he opened them slowly and in time to spot Sanji examining his leftovers. That alone made the swordsman feel sick again – apart from the satisfied and uncomfortable fullness he now had. Still, he held a false breath. Was he really ready to hear some backlash and irritable teases from the fox? He wasn't really in the mood, but what had happened moments ago had been very different from any other night before.

Since day one of resurrection, Zoro had always had little to no control of what happened to him at night, what he had to do, yet Sanji had been able to call out to his conscious in the chaos of everything and appeal to his humanity. Not only that, he was able to get what he wanted out of him, in a strange turn of events; closeness. What did that even mean and was it something Zoro really wanted to start looking into?

The blond fox made an interesting sound, almost like a whistle of some sort, at what he'd found. It made Zoro slightly wince, cause, yeah, he knew the damage he'd done. Hell, he would never get the after images out of his mind, he was just a little relieved, in a sickening way, his hunger had numbed before he really deformed the deceased. It was the most respect he could give to the dead these days, leaving them their faces and enough parts that with whatever clothes they'd been buried in still didn't look like they'd been total snacks.

The animal lifted his head, noticing Zoro's view on him and, traditionally, it gave a very mischievous grin. Quickly, Sanji detoured around the grave back towards his entertainment.

"Well, weren't we hungry?" The sarcasm was thick.

Zoro grunted, fully expecting this. Shit kitsune, he felt bad enough with his commentary; he could go tell it to someone else who gave a rat's ass. His arms tucked behind his head so he could rest a bit longer, he closed his eyes again with the full intention of ignoring the fur ball.

But of course, that would never last. Annoyed at Zoro's futile attempts at ignoring him, Sanji pounced right onto the swordsman, letting his feet land wherever they pleased, even if it meant his satisfied gut, or his chest which promptly knocked the air out of him.

"Oi…" Zoro scowled. Just because he seemed a bit out of it did not mean he was above strangling a fox. No one would see and no one would miss it.

Sanji's grin faded a bit, though, and his kitsune eyes were focusing down on Zoro's face with consideration. It was odd, since he didn't normally look at the Marimo that way, and somehow it softened his anger at the blond's disregard to personal space.

"You look like shit, marimo." Then, to further take Zoro by surprise, the fox leaned down close, taking advantage of his stillness to lap at his face, where no doubt there was still blood among other things. "You did good."

Zoro tensed, unfamiliar with the strange gesture, but urged himself to calm for the moment. What was this? Some kind of weird messed up monster praise? Sanji was really just going to decide to clean his face? So that was his idea of closeness, was it? He wasn't about to let Zoro protest it either - each time the Marimo tried to move his arm or raise his chest, there was a slight pressure from Sanji, his strength radiating through even that form, reminding him he was a kitsune, after all, not just some animal.

Though as selfish as it sounded, and perhaps that was the real reason he deserved this fate by having a mentality that would rationalize this, maybe he had earned this - a face full of fox. It was a fitting reward, was it not? No, alright, it wasn't, the reward instead being the personal achievement that he'd earned from having a bit of control during the previous feeding and reaching some clarities.

Zoro gave Sanji a few more minutes of cleaning his face, gripping irritably with minor snarls and expressions. It was a bit embarrassing, but on the minor side, and it wasn't like he really minded it. It actually piqued his curiosity about what this really meant between them and how would the future proceed. Still, since Sanji was getting what he wanted, Zoro decided to do the same, fighting his strength just enough, even while full and exhausted, to snatch him with his arm. He couldn't help but smirk at the surprised yelp following the action before rolling over into his side like a kid intending to sleep with his toy. He attempted to keep the fox there and remotely still, taking the opportunity to gaze into the kitsune's eyes, which were undoubtedly Sanji's. They were the same exact ones he'd seen only once up close on the blond's real face from the first time they'd met. Just as pissed too, regardless of his unique fox purrs or not, which were pleasant and fucking amusing.

"Dammit, bastard, what did I say about manhandling? We're both men!" Sanji hissed. "Get off me and go bury your leftovers." He thrashed around, kicking him with his paws and going for cheap shots at his gut if need be.

Zoro shook his head slightly, unfazed by his attempts. "You nuzzled me close, said that's what you wanted, so this is close." His logic was sound, of course. "Besides, last I checked there's still… a lot of time left."

Which was also true, both of them being the immortal creatures they were now – irregardless if they asked or wanted to be that way – they would have a lot of time. Zoro wouldn't say it, mostly because he was pretty damn sure he was just still in an after buzz from what he'd just done making him feel content, but he was slightly more appreciative such a stupid fox decided to try and make his life even more annoying.

Sanji finally gave up his struggle, letting himself relax in the swordsman's grip, averting his eyes. When he spoke again his voice was much calmer, but despite his efforts, his purrs weren't subsiding.

"I never said that. Who would want to be close to that face? I just didn't want to see you look so damn pathetic anymore. And to repay my debt." His voice trailed off, as if he were making up excuses to list as he went.

Not taking it to heart, Zoro continued to watch him, amazed simply by how much emotion he could read off Sanji's face compared to how little he could before. Partly because he knew it would piss him off and because he just wanted to, he arched his back further, practically nuzzling the kitsune in a way that mimicked him earlier.

Then swallowing his pride for a moment, having convinced himself he only had to say it once then never again surely, he thanked him. It was quiet and perhaps a little forced sounding, but Sanji heard it - the swordsman could tell by the way his breathing and purrs seemed to change in response.

"Don't mention it..." Sanji's voice was a bit baffled. Still, he tucked his face in the nook of Zoro's shoulder and the grass. "Just keep helping me where I need it, and I'll do the same for you."

Zoro huffed at that, he wasn't going to drop a comment such as the one earlier, about the kitsune's desires, so lightly. There were other motives to Sanji's side of it, there was no doubt - there had to be. He was a kitsune, after all, they were a species known for ulterior motives.

"And you get what you want," the marimo added. At some point in his life, before this moment, something like that would have pissed him off. But now, using the clarity Sanji convinced him of in order to see a bigger picture, Zoro figured if his misfortune and shit luck brought him this far and gave him an opportunity to make someone else feel content in some way, especially Sanji, he would undoubtedly do so. Even if he'd only known the shit kitsune through the last handful of hellish months of his existence. Zoro hesitated a moment, then shifted his words into an open invitation, should Sanji understand. "Every night?"

Zoro didn't get to see it, but chances were high that in a slight pause Sanji dawned another fox grin. Still, he was confident, or at least relying on it because he needed a break from so much humility in a single night, Sanji wouldn't turn him down, no matter how much he liked to say protests.

"Every night," Sanji agreed.

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><p><strong>Author's Note: Are you totally just like 'what the fuck did I just read' right now? XD Either way, leave a review and let me know I'd love to hear what you think. I wasn't expecting to but I fell in love with this AU so look forward, if you liked it, for maybe drabbles set into it. I know MyLadyDay, the stunning beta reader who was so kind to have beta'd this, will be uploading her Halloween event story set in the same universe as this with a different pairing. Her's will be titled 'Heart of Winter' so keep an eye out for that. <strong>  
><strong>Again, thank you so much for reading! I really hope you enjoyed it and that you have a great Halloween!<strong>

**ps. I noticed it was never mentioned but the supernatural being Zoro became is called a Jikininki.**


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